Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, blaming NATO and Western policies for provoking the conflict. He described the 2013-14 pro-European uprising as a coup supported and provoked by the West, framing Crimea's annexation and backing of eastern separatists as responses to that revolution. The 2022 full-scale invasion escalated fighting, prompted sweeping US and EU sanctions, and deepened Russia's isolation from the West. Putin insisted that Western efforts to draw Ukraine into NATO were a key driver and that Russia's security concerns must be addressed before any sustainable peace settlement. He praised diplomatic proposals from Beijing and New Delhi and met with Xi Jinping to discuss Ukraine.
The Russian president defends the military campaign in Ukraine, blaming NATO and Western policies for the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for igniting the war in Ukraine, insisting Moscow's assault was provoked by years of Western provocations. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin on Monday, Putin accused NATO of destabilising the region and dismissed claims that Russia triggered the war.
This crisis was not triggered by Russia's attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West, Putin told the gathering of regional leaders. He was referring to the 2013-14 pro-European uprising that toppled Ukraine's then-President Viktor Yanukovych. Russia responded to the revolution by annexing Crimea and backing separatists in eastern Ukraine, leading to a conflict that has left tens of thousands dead and devastated large parts of the country.
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